Well, the topic’s in the title. Has this been discussed on here already?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/jan/24/cycling-military-land

I thought MOD were significantly reducing their operations in Aldershot and moving men and training to Salisbury Plain anyway.

Isn’t that last year’s news? I thought all the timberwork had been removed from Tunnel Hill etc. and there was new signage to riders (and walkers) giving guidance on what to do if you encounter army personnel.

Well, there’s certainly going to be an increase in exercises on Salisbury Plain due to troops being withdrawn from Germany, afaik.

There’s loads of MXers and 4x4ers in Wiltshire and they’ve helped out with new signage on the Plain. I guess that’s a sign that they enjoy good relations with the MOD and will continue to trash the trails use the trails.

Isn’t that article a whole 365 days old?

there was discussion earlier regardsHankley Common but no concrete actual allegations surrounding a supposed ban.

Funnily enough, there doesn’t seem to have been any major developments since this article was published either…

Chipps, yes there was a thread on here relating to that article at time of publication.

The Gardian article might be a year old but it has been reignighted by recent actions regarding access to MOD land.

There a petition and more information here:

http://www.surreycommunity.info/elsteadnews/petitions/

Has Chips made a journalistic error?

Doesn’t seem to have diminished the Trolls night rides on the rare occasions I have the chance to get out. Would be a shame if it did disapear as it’s great riding and relatively unknown/ignored by the masses who just default to Swinley or the Peaslake.

There’s loads of MXers and 4x4ers in Wiltshire and they’ve helped out with new signage on the Plain. I guess that’s a sign that they enjoy good relations with the MOD and will continue to trash the trails use the trails.

I doubt there’s any MXers at all, no motocross riders I know find greenlaning remotely interesting. But still, damn those 100kg motorbikes, I bet all the military tanks and trucks trying to use Salisbury plain are always getting stuck in their ruts.

Good bl00dy grief… 🙄

For Salisbury Plain a monthly newsletter is published giving details of firing times. For example next month an exercise taking place will involve 8,000 troops, 500 vehicles plus aircraft. 😯

Yes, it is from 2011, but today’s thread about other MOD closures got me digging around as I never heard what the final (if ever) outcome was over the MOD and bikes on its land.

There are some of the Army Team on here who have done some sterling work on this subject and have posted regarding it.

I ride there regularly and have chatted to the warden about it, hopefully as long as people watch their P’s and Q’s we will be ok.

Normally only come across soldiers on night rides when we do our best to keep out of their way or be friendly if not.

I doubt there’s any MXers at all, no motocross riders I know find greenlaning remotely interesting.

Why bother being pedantic?

I don’t know of any mountainbikers using the trails either, just cyclists (theres no mountain?).

Appart from a slightly lower compression piston, revised gearing, softer springs and damping (i.e. all internal changes so far) and a headlamp and a brake light, there’s no difference between a WR450F and a YR450F. To anyone watching it go past it’s impossible to tell the difference. And to a member of the public a XT(whatever capacity theyre at now) probably looks exactly the same too!

For example next month an exercise taking place will involve 8,000 troops, 500 vehicles plus aircraft 😯

And whats the drama with that??

Where else would you suggest they train? 😕

Having spent a fair chunk of time running around on The Plain in uniform, I can’t remmeber any part of it that would would have been very exiting to ride..

Why bother being pedantic?

I don’t know of any mountainbikers using the trails either, just cyclists (theres no mountain?).

Appart from a slightly lower compression piston, revised gearing, softer springs and damping (i.e. all internal changes so far) and a headlamp and a brake light, there’s no difference between a WR450F and a YR450F. To anyone watching it go past it’s impossible to tell the difference. And to a member of the public a XT(whatever capacity theyre at now) probably looks exactly the same too!
Well you wouldn’t call someone out pony trekking a steeplechaser, despite the horse having 4 legs, nor someone out rambling as a fell runner despite etc. Trail riding is pony trekking on a motor bike. The only real difference being (from my experience) that pony trekking doesn’t require you to pick the horse up and kick start it several times per mile.

For Salisbury Plain a monthly newsletter is published giving details of firing times. For example next month an exercise taking place will involve 8,000 troops, 500 vehicles plus aircraft.

Sounds like Exercise Phantom Bungle to me.

The Plain has some of the best, and most open access there is, largely thanks to the MOD. They look after it well.

Well you wouldn’t call someone out pony trekking a steeplechaser, despite the horse having 4 legs,

No but you would call them both horse riders.

In the same way as MX is the coloquial term for off road biking.

And mountain biking is the coloquial term for off road cycling.

Saying there’s not a problem with MX bikes on “insert location with multiple user groups in percieved conflict here” is like saying theres not a problem with mountain biking on the surrey hills because there are no mountains so by definition no problem!

The Plain has some of the best, and most open access there is, largely thanks to the MOD. They look after it well.

The conservation work is contracted out… the girlfriend of a forum member does lots it. We don’t tell her about the cheeky trails!

TRAILACTIONGROUPHas been set up and is working with the MoD and it’s Stakeholders, to help with this issue and get the word out, it has both Army and Civilian members.

Get involved.

And whats the drama with that??

Where else would you suggest they train?

Having spent a fair chunk of time running around on The Plain in uniform, I can’t remmeber any part of it that would would have been very exiting to ride..

I wasn’t having a moan, would just like to be a fly on the wall to see the action. 8)

No, you’re right, it isn’t exciting to ride but I’ve got a busted shoulder so it’s ideal for pootling. 🙂

Chill peeps!

Err, motocross is a very specific form of racing and far from a generic term for “off road biking”. I suppose if you are young enough to accept the term “biking” then “off road biking” would be the generic term. But then, by definition, green laning is not off road.